Think Before You Write

Clarity is the cornerstone of good writing, but clarity does not happen by accident. It requires a great deal of work.

The first step to writing clearly, before worrying about subject-verb agreement or misplaced apostrophes, is deciding what you want to communicate. In our world of instant reactions, this step is all-too-frequently skipped. In a rush to be the first person to opine, writers spew forth whatever comes to mind in a rambling stream of consciousness. The end result–TL;DR. Even if readers do spend the time to read a passage, they will gain nothing.

Before typing out that email, Facebook post, or text message, consider what you want to say. Then think about how best to say it. Organizing your thoughts will conserve energy and your readers will silently thank you for saving them from yet another rambling message consuming their valuable time.